Adhesive sheet and method of making



4. R. G. DREW ADHESIVE SHEET AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed April 20. 1938 atented Jan. i3, i942 ziaria I ADHESIVE SHEET METHOD F i Richard Gurley Drew, St. Panl; Minn., assigner to Minnesota Mining @t 'Manufacturing Company, St. faul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1938, Serial No. 203,103

(Cl. 91--68l l0 Claims.

This invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, conveniently in the form of tape, having a exible backing provided with a layer of cured or vulcanized rubber. More particularly, the backing may be a flexible porous brous fabric, such as woven cloth, paper and combinations thereof; and the rubber layer may be cured or vulcanized after application thereto so that it enters into and fills the interstices, thereby binding the fibres together and resulting in a rm union between the rubber and backing. An adhesive coating, which is normally tacky and pressure-sensitive, may be united eitherto said rubberlayer or, preferably, to the other side of the backing. In either case, a back sizing coating may be applied'which is inactive to the adhesive to insure ease of unwinding or removal of the adhesive sheet or tape from rolls and stacks thereof without offsetting of adhesive or delamination. The adhesive, which may be of the rubber-resin type, is preferably highly coherent so that the adhesive sheet may be removed in condition for reuse from surfaces to which temporarily applied, and without leaving a residue of adhesive thereupon.

This application is a vcontinuation-in-part of my copending applications Ser. No. 455,4391, filed May 24, 1930, as a division of Ser. No. 281,104, filed May 28, 1928, which issued as Patent No. 1,760,820 on May 27, 1930; Ser. No. 351,146, filed March 30, 1929; Ser. No. 660,167, filed March 9, 1933; and Ser. No. 743,122, led September 7, 1934, as a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 491,412, filed October 27, 1930.

A particular object is to provide a masking sheet or tape for use in shielding adjacent areas during application of paint, lacquer, etc. Pressure-sensitive masking tape is Widely used, for example, in the spray painting of automobile bodies.

An objection to masking tape having a cloth backing has been the latters permeability to lacquer solvents, etc., which penetrate the backing and soften and loosen the adhesive coating, causing offsetting of adhesive upon removal of the tape, necessitating cleaning off the residue of adhesive from the surface. Also a cloth backing tape ordinarily has uneven, ravelling edges which makes it difficult or impossible to obtain a sharp, even boundary. An object of this invention is to provide a masking tape of this type which is an improvement upon, and better serves its purpose than, previously designed tape of the same general character by reason of the fact that the layer of rubber, which is cured or vulcanized after application, fills the interstices of the woven fabric, impregnates itself into the threads, forms straight, non=ravelling edges for the adhesive tape strip and renders the strip resistant to oils, organic solvents and water. Y This is true whether the rubber layer is applied to the face side of the backing, so as to underlie the subsequently applied adhesive layer, orv is applied to the back side. It is evident that in either case the layer of vulcanized rubber will serve as a protective barrier to prevent lacquer solvents, etc., from striking through to the adhesive coating when the tape is used for masking purposes.

The masking tape'made in accordance with this invention, whether the backing be of cloth or paper, is highly exible or pliant, is readily applied, and may be removed in condition for reuse following application of the paint or lacquer without leaving a deposit of adhesive upon the underlying surface, and without pulling oil the underlying paint or lacquer coating when it has been applied thereover.

The invention is not, however, limited to masking tapes, but may be utilized generally for the production of pressure-sensitive adhesive sheets and tapes. v

When the adhesive sheet material is made with a porous paper foundation or backing sheet having a layer of cured or vulcanized rubber on the back side and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the face side, the material of both layers will penetrate into the paper to unify it. That is, the fibres of the paper will be bound together so that the backing will not split or the fibres pull loose under the force exerted by the pressure-sensitive adhesive when the product; is unwound from rolls or removed from surfaces to which temporarily applied-that is, a fibre unity is provided which prevents the unity of the backing from being destroyed by the pull of the adhesive.

By pressure-sensitive I mean that the adhesive is normally tacky and non-drying and is stably in a condition such that it does not need to be activated by solvents or heat or otherwise prepared in order to secure good adherence to surfaces against which the adhesive sheet may be pressed. -Furthermore, a non-offsetting adhesive layer is provided, meaning that the adhesive is possessed of such coherence in relation to adhesiveness and is so firmly united to its backing that the adhesive sheet may be stacked or rolled upon itself without offsetting upon separation or unwinding for use, and may be separated in condition for reuse from surfaces (not possessing special chemical affinity for the adhesive), to which it may have been temporarily applied, without offsetting of adhesive material.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of a roll of comparatively narrow pressure-sensitive adhesive tape wound upon itself;

Fig. 2 is a magnied diagrammatical crosssectional view of the tape showing the different constituent layers; and

Fig. 3 is a further diagrammatical cross-sectional view showing an alternative form.

The tape I of roll I I shown in Fig. 1 may be comprised as shown in Fig. 2, having a flexible backing I2, preferably of a porous fibrous fabric such as woven cloth or paper. When made of cloth it is preferably cut in the direction of one set of threads rather than on a bias, so that the threads run longitudinally and transversely. A protective coating or layer I3 of cured or vulcanized rubber is united to the back or outer side of the backing, and is preferably applied prior to application of the coating or layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive Il which is united to the face or inner side of the backing. A back sizing coating |-5,of resinous var ish such as shellac, glue, a celmtlgsuch as cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate or ethyl cellulose, or other suitabe film-forming material, is united to the outer surface of the vulcanized rubber layer to form a surface which is inactive to the adhesive coating to permit ready unwlnding. the adhesive being less adhesive to this sizing coating than to the vulcanized rubber. This back sizing coating is also desirable in that it presents an attractive smooth glossy nish.

An alternative form is shown in Fig. 3, having a flexible backing l2 of porous fabric sheet material, a layer I3 of vulcanized rubber united to one side, and a layer I6 of rubber base pressure-sensitive adhesive upon the vulcanized rubber. A barrier lm I1 of rubber containing a small percentage of alum is interposed between the vulcanized rubber layer and the adhesive layer to minimize migration of the vulcanizing agent from the former to the latter. A back sizing coat I8 is united to the outer or back side of the backing and unies the fibres as Well as presenting a back surface inactive to the adhesive coating.

By Way of example, the following illustrates an application of vulcanized rubber to a flexible backing for use in accordance with this invention: A cotton cloth construction with a count of 64 x 64 threads per square inch and weighing 1 pound to every 7.6 yards of 30 inch width is knife coated with a layer of compounded rubber containing vulcanizing and accelerating agents. This may be made by milling together Parts Thin latex crepe 50 Zinc oxide 50 lalm oil 1 Sulfur 1.7-2.0 Captax accelerator G25-0.5

In the above illustrative formula, as in all formulae given hereafter unless otherwise stated, all parts are by weight. The Captax accelerator is mercaptobenzothiazole. The compounded rubber may be coated upon the cloth by calendering or frictioning. In any case the rubber is forced into the cloth. The coated 010th is then wound in rolls 18 inches in diameter and placed in an electric oven where it is subjected to a temperature of 250 F. -for 30 minutes, to cure or vulcanize the rubber.

The rubber mixture may be applied by coating the fabric with a solution or emulsion containing the desired ingredients, resulting in a layer ready for curing or vulcanization upon evaporation of the vehicle.

Vulcanizing agents may be used to cause cold vulcanlzation following application of the rubber to the backing.

A further example is the following: A light film of rubber compounded with zinc oxide is united to one side of a sheet of 40 lb. kraft paper and subsequently vulcanized with sulfur chloride, by exposure to sulfur chloride vapor, or to a solution of sulfur chloride in' a diluent such as carbon disulphide or benzol. The compounded rubber may be comprised of equal parts of latex crepe and zinc oxide, and may be applied by knife coating, calendering or frictioning, or may be applied as a solution in a volatile solvent such as benzol, or as an emulsion.

Instead of using latex crepe, use may be made of smoked sheet rubber, and reclaimed rubber may be incorporated. Various fillers may be added to lend bulk to the compound, as is known in the rubber-compounding art.

If the thread count is low, when a cloth backing is used, a greater amount of rubber filler will of course be required than when a more tightly woven cloth is used.

The following illustrate pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions which may be used:

Adhesive `Example 1 l Parts Plasticized, first quality plantation rubber,

such as clear crepe or smoked sheets 10 Cumarone resin 2 Zinc oxide 1/2 The above ingredientsv are compounded on a rubber rolling mill to a plastic consistency, and

y the resulting composition may be applied by calendering or frictioning to provide a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive on either side of the backing (which has previously been provided with a coating of vulcanized rubber). Or the composition may be cut to desired consistency with a volatile rubber solvent, such as benzol. naphtha, heptane or gasoline, and then coated so as to leave a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive upon evaporation of the solvent.

In lieu of a synthetic resin, use may be made of a natural resin such as gum or wood rosin, Burgundy pitch or pine oil fonts.

Adhesive Eample 2 Rubber base consisting of equal' parts of latex crepe or smoked sheets and zinc oxide milled together ..-lbs..- 605 Soft cumar resin ..-lbs..- 196 Benzol gallons-- 125 The rubber base, resin and benzol are churned together until homogeneous.

Adhesive Example 3 Parts Latex crepe Zinc oxide 100 Wood rosin 45 v Beta-naphthol 1 Heptane 450 'Ihe latex crepe and zinc oxide are milled toazeavia gether on a rubber mill until the latter is thoroughly incorporated in the rubber. The mixture is then placed in a churn with the other ingredients and mixed for about 24 or more hours. producing a homogeneous adhesive solution ready for application. In this case the zinc oxide hardens the rosin as well as acting as a reinforcing pigment. The beta-naphthol serves as an antioxidant.

The above rubber-resin type of pressure-sensitive adhesive is non-offsetting, water-insoluble and moistureproof. 4 l

Pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions other than those containing rubber may be utilized, the invention not being limited to the use of any one particular kind of adhesive. For example,

the pressure-sensitive adhesive may be of theV type disclosed in the application of Hubert J. Tierney, Ser. No. 177,094, led November 29, 1937.

A further example of a suitable flexible backing sheet material is a composite of cloth and felted paper material, such as is described in my copending application Ser. No. 351,146, filed March 30, i929. A woven fabric may be used, such as cheesecloth or gauze, which may be starched or sized. This cloth may be placed in position upon a'paper making machine blanket to receive a paper pulp, such for example, as may be lemployed in making 35 pound per ream absorbent paper, and this layer is applied to the cloth and either pressure or suction applied to both which serves to remove the moisture from the paper pulp and also to cause the pulp while still in a. plastic state to enter the interstices in the woven fabric, as well as to expose the spun or woven fabric to the wetting action of the extraneous fluid and of the paper size carried thereby.

An alternative method is tocombine the cloth with a sheet of paper (as distinguished from the pulp) still carrying 50% or more of the required forming water, or with preformed absorbent paper (such as towelling) which is suitably moistened. The paper sheet is applied to the woven fabric and the two materials are run together through a wringer or other presser rolls, which force the woven fabric and libres of the paper sheet into intimate union.

A more thorough bond may be secured by employing a suitable adhesive substance, such as corn dextrine, casein or glue, applied as a sizing to the woven fabric. This sizing is applied to the side of the fabric which is to come in contact with the Wet `paper sheet or pulp, so that when the cloth and wet paper are combined, the adhesive will be moistened and thus rendered eective in enhancing the bond between the paper and cloth. l

Upon drying, a flexible sheet is obtained which possesses desirable characteristics of both paper and cloth.

The paper side may be treated with glue, glycerine and formaldehyde to unify it, or with a sizing material, to strengthen the paper side, the other side being reinforced by the cloth, when the pressure-sensitive adhesive is to be applied to the cloth side. The cloth side may be desirably treated with a thin rubber solution which possesses adhesive qualities so as to adhere to the surface of'cloth and paper fibres, and which may or may not carry proper vulcanizing and accelerating agents. Preferably a vulcanizing agent is included in this size or filler coat and the article vulcanized under the required heat treatment', where such type of vulcanizing agent is 7l used as will require heat treatment. Cold vulcanizing agents, however, may be used in the absence of heat treatment. This vulcanized rubber treatment insures the tape against damageV vent when the tape is used as a masking tape. 'I'he pressure-sensitive adhesive (which may be a rubber base adhesive) may be applied to either side of the resulting backing. When applied to i the cloth side, that is; upon the vulcanized rubber layer, the other side (paper side) is prefervably sized, as heretofore indicated.

The resulting adhesive sheet may then be cut into tape strips, preferably so that the cloth l5 threads run transversely and longitudinally.

What I claim is as follows:

1. An adhesive sheet or tape comprising a flexible backing, a layer of rubber united to oneV side thereof that is cured or vulcanized after application to provide a layer resistant to oils, organic solvents and water, a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive united to one side of the resultant combination, and an exposed surface opposite to the adhesive surface of a kind inactive to the latter g5 to permit removal or unwinding from stacks and rolls without offsetting of adhesive.

2. An adhesive sheet or tape comprising a flexible porous brous fabric backing, a layer of rubber united to one side thereof that is cured or vulcanized after application so that it penetrates and unifies the fibres and provides a layer resistant to oils, organic solvents and water, a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive united to one side of the resulting combination, and an exposed surface opposite to the adhesive surface of a kind inactive to the latter to permit removal or unwinding from stacks and, rolls without offsetting of adhesive.

3. An adhesive sheet or tape comprising a flexible porous flbrous backing, a layer of rubber from stacks and rolls without offsetting of ad-` hesive.

4. An adhesive sheet or tape'compnsing a 58 flexible backing including a paper sheet and a woven fabric embedded in one side thereof, a layer of rubber on the woven fabric that is cured or vulcanized after application and is resistant to oils, organic solvents and water, and is irnpregnated into the backing, and a layer of. pressure-sensitive adhesive united to the other side of the backing.

5. An adhesive sheet or tape comprising a flexible backing including a paper sheet and a Woven fabric embedded in one side thereof, having a layer of vulcanized rubber united to said woven fabric to provide a barrier to lacquer solvents, and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive united to one side of the backing, so that when 70 the adhesive sheet or tape is applied to a surface the layer of vulcanized rubber will overlie and protect the layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive.

6. That improvement in the manufacture of tape which comprises applying to one face of a flexible strip a solution of rubber adapted to prothe strip.

8. That improvement in the manufacture of tape which comprises applying to one face of a porous paper sheet a solution of rubber adapted to provide a layer of vulcanized rubber united to the paper which will act as a barrier to oils, or ganic solvents and Water, and afterwards applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive to the other face of the strip.

9. An adhesive sheet 0r tape comprising a flexible porous fibrous backing having a layer of vulcanized rubber united to one side, and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of the backing, so that when the adhesive sheet or tape is applied to a surface the layer of vulcanized rubber will overlie the adhesive layer to prevent penetration by oils, organic solvents and Water.

10. An adhesive sheet or tape comprising a flexible fibrous backing, a layer of vulcanized rubber united to one side thereof so that it penetrates the fibres and provides a layer resistant to oils, organic solvents and Water, said layer containing a vulcanizing agent. a. barrier film upon said layer of a kind resistant to migration of said vulcanizing agent therethrough, and a layer` of pressure-sensitive rubber base adhesive united to said barrier film.

RICHARD GURLEY DREW. 

